Tanya: The Kabbalah of You | with Rabbi Levi Dubov

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #20 - Chapter 7 pt. 2 This class continues the previous theme, discussing our interactions with Kelipah . While Kelipas Nogah is "untied" and therefore able to be elevated to holiness, anything that is of the three impure Kelipos is tied down and unable to be moved from its status.   The chapter concludes with a few exceptions to this rule. You can contact Rabbi Dub...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #19 - Chapter 6 pt. 3 - 7 pt. 1 What does Judaism think about your physical life? Is it a distraction, even a necessary evil, in the face of the ideal spiritual lifestyle?   The opposite: most of the resources we interact with are opportunities waiting to be elevated to holy experiences.   This class introduces us to the two forms of Kelipah , and how we ought...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #18 - Chapter 6 pt. 2   Our exploration of the holy G-dly Soul and the non-holy Animal Soul leads us to a larger question: What is holy and sacred, and what is non-holy? What does holiness even mean?   In this class, we explore how Bittul allows something to be holy and how everything that is not holy is in a non-holy category, referred to as Kelipah or Sitra A...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #17 - Chapter 6 pt. 1 After exploring the identity and structure of the G-dly Soul, the Tanya now turns to its counterpart - the Animal Soul.   The Animal Soul is the mirror image and inverse of the G-dly Soul. Its identity, emotions, intellect, and garments are parallel and opposite to the G-dly soul's. You can contact Rabbi Dubov at rabbi@bhchabad.org.

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #16 - Chapter 5 We don't study Torah simply to gain practical direction, knowledge, or inspiration. Rather, G-d invested His very essence into Torah. When we learn it, we allow G-d's will and wisdom to enter within us, becoming a part of who we are.  This is the power of studying Torah. It serves as the "food" for the soul, while the Mitzvos serve as its "clothing."...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #15 - Chapter 4 pt. 3 This class explores further the power of a Mitzvah  - The intimate bond it offers the soul to have with G-d. You can contact Rabbi Dubov at rabbi@bhchabad.org.

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #14 - Review chapters 1-4   This class gives an overview of the first four chapters of Tanya. We discuss the concept of the two souls, the Animal Soul and the G-dly Soul (ch. 1-2); the internal structure of the G-dly Soul (ch. 3); and the G-dly soul's three "Garments," i.e. modes of expressions (ch. 4).    You can contact Rabbi Dubov at rabbi@bhchabad.org.

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #13 - Chapter 4 pt. 2   What is more important, to be a Jew at heart or a Jew in action? If the rituals of Judaism are merely expressions of the soul, then are they really that important? If we already possess a holy Divine Soul that feels connected to G-d, how important are mitzvot?   This leads us to a more profound question: Is it even possible for a finite...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #12 - Chapter 4 pt. 1 Essential to every living being is the need to express themself. And so the Divine Soul possesses three mediums of expression, termed "Garments": thought, speech, and action.    Just as garments express the person garbed within, the soul expresses its intellectual and emotional relationship with G-d via the 613 Mitzvos of the Torah in thou...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #11 - Chapter 3 pt. 2 The Tanya establishes an important principle: all emotions are the "children" of the intellect.  The soul uses the intellectual soul powers to create and shape its emotional world. Specifically, the emotional relationship the soul has with G-d results from its intellectual awareness of G-d.   The class concludes by introducing the third co...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #10 - Chapter 3 pt. 1 After being introduced to the Divine Soul, the Tanya introduces us to the inner anatomy of the soul. Our exploration begins with the concept of the Sefiros, the 10 divine energies G-d employed in creation. Our souls mirror that structure with their own set of 10 soul powers. This class examines the specific powers of Chochmoh and Bina, their particu...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #9 - Chapter 2 pt. 3 Seeing the collective of Jewish souls as many parts of a single "body" allows us to understand the role of a Rebbe and leader of the Jewish people. The soul of the Rebbe is compared to the "head" of the entire body, nourishing and leading all the particular souls within the singular organism that is the Jewish people. The chapter concludes by asking:...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #8 - Chapter 2 pt. 2 Through a careful analysis of the father-child metaphor and applying it to the G-d-soul relationship, we uncover profound depth in the nature of our souls: All Jews are one organism; each soul a pure piece of G-d in its source, and even as each specific soul evolves into its own unique and diverse role, it never loses its original identity as a piece...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #7 - Chapter 2 pt. 1 Chapter 2 of Tanya introduces us to our second soul: The Divine Soul, a literal piece of G-d. This soul is the core identity of the Jew and is present in every single Jew.   Because of this soul, the Torah refers to the Jewish people as the children of G-d, a theme that will be greatly expounded upon further in the chapter.   You can contac...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #6 - Chapter 1 pt. 3 The Alter Rebbe introduces us to the doctrine of the Two Souls. We don't have one identity, we have two, distinct and completely independent souls, each with their own identities, drives, and personalities.   We conclude chapter 1 by learning about the Animal Soul. This soul is motivated by its ego and is fully self-absorbed. The spiritual sourc...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #5 - Chapter 1 pt. 2 The Alter Rebbe begins to resolve the mystery of our purpose, but leaves more questions than answers. The conclusion of this opening exploration is that we must shift from searching on the superficial behavioral level and begin to explore ourselves deeper. You can contact Rabbi Dubov at rabbi@bhchabad.org.

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #4 - Chapter 1 pt. 1 We begin our journey through Tanya with a fundamental question: Who am I? What am I meant to become? What does G-d expect from me? An enigmatic citation from the Talmud leads us into an exploration to define the terms Tzadik (a righteous person), rasha (a wicked person), and a beinoni (an inbetweener). You can contact Rabbi Dubov at rabbi@bhchabad.or...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #3 - Author's Introduction pt. 2   In response to concerns from his community, the Alter Rebbe boldly illustrates that the Tanya is no ordinary book: the Alter Rebbe intimately knew his followers and wrote the book with each of them in mind. The book would serve as a practical guide to spiritual living dedicated to serving G-d. It would include all the answers to al...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You #2 - Author's Introduction pt. 1 In his introduction to the Tanya, the Alter Rebbe addresses the concerns of his community in response to the publishing of Tanya: can a book truly replace personal guidance and mentorship by a Rebbe?  The question is a personal one for the modern student of the Tanya: is the Tanya for me? Can the Tanya talk to me on a personal level?...

Tanya: The Kabbalah of You - Class 1 This class explores the historical roots of the Tanya. The condition of the Jewish community in the European heartland in the second half of the seventeenth century, the founding of the Chassidic movement by the Baal Shem Tov in the early eighteenth century, and the revolution of Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the Alter Rebbe, to create a model with which the energy and...